Unloader for storage bins

ABSTRACT

The unloader uses a combination of a plurality of auger and casing units arranged end to end and separably coupled together in a circular bin which has a floor provided with a center outlet sump leading to any means to carry loose granular material from the sump. A power unit connected to the first auger, is mounted in the sump so it can be rotated on a vertical axis that is on the central axis of the bin. The power unit also includes a hydraulic pump. The casings have openings in one side with manually removable doors for them so that grain may be received by or blocked out of the augers. The first casing carries a tank for hydraulic fluid near the pump. Near the end of the casing remote from the sump, a drive and support unit carries the casing and is hydraulically driven. The second auger and casing unit is separably coupled to the first auger and casing unit and extends axially beyond it. It also has near its outer end a drive support unit essentially like the one on the first auger. The hydraulis drive coupling to the pump is such that when the first auger and casing unit is separated from the second auger and casing unit, this will limit the supply of fluid to the hydraulic motor of the first drive and support unit so it can be used to cause the first casing unit to travel around the sump and remove the material from the center of the bin while the second unit remains buried in the pile of material in the outer portion of the bin. Unloading a bin by this method keeps the outward pressure on the entire circumference of the bin wall until center annular areas of the bin floor have been cleared and the outward pressure is lowered to a safe level.

United States Patent 11 1 Jackson 1451 Aug. 7, 1973 UNLOADER FOR STORAGEBlNS [76] Inventor: William J. Jackson, P.O. Box 266,

Mendota, lll. 61342 I 22 Filed: Nov. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 196,469Related u.s. Application Data [62] Division or Ser. NO. 77,263, Oct. 1,1970, Pat. N0.

Primary Examiner--Robert G. Sheridan Attorney-Greek Wells et al.

[57] ABSTRACT The unloader uses a combination of a plurality of augerand casing units arranged end to end and separably coupled together in acircular bin which has a floor provided with a center outlet sumpleading to any means to carry loose granular material from the sump. A

power unit connected to the first auger, is mounted in the sump so itcan be rotated on a vertical axis that is on the central axis of thebin. The power unit also includes a hydraulic pump. The casings haveopenings in one side with manually removable doors for them so thatgrain may be received by or blocked out of the au gers. The first casingcarries a tanlk for hydraulic fluid near the pump. Near the end of thecasing remote from the sump, a drive and support unit carries the casingand is hydraulically driven. The second auger and casing unit isseparably coupled to the first auger and casing unit and extends axiallybeyond it. It also has near its outer end a drive support unitessentially like the one on the first auger. The hydraulis drivecoupling to the pump is such that when the first auger and casing unitis separated from the second auger'and casing unit, this will limit thesupply of fluid to the hydraulic motor of the first drive and supportunit so it can be used to cause the first casing unit to travel aroundthe sump and remove the material from the center of the bin while thesecond unit remains buried in the pile of material in the outer portionof the bin. Unloading a bin by this method keeps the outward pressure onthe entire circumference of the bin wall until center annular areas ofthe bin floor have been cleared and the outward pressure is lowered to asafe level.

. 4 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PAIENIED 3.750.807

sum 2 or 8 Fig. 3

Fig. 6

PMENIEW SHEEI B If 8 UNLOADER FOR STORAGE BINS This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. 077,263 filed Oct. 1, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No.3,647,094.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years the grain trade has demandedlarger grain storage units mainly vertical type structures. Circularbins of over 100 feet diameter and as much as 40 feet high verticalwalls have been built. Such a structure presents unusual problems inunloading. Side unloading puts such uneven strains on the walls as to beimpractical so unloading througha central downwardly directed dischargeoutlet is necessary. Initial unloading is desirably accomplished in sucha way asto avoid excess strain.

In a search through the prior patents, it was found that Laidig, U.S.Pat. No. 3,356,235, broadly discloses a silo bin with a centraldischarge well and a twosection auger means rotatable aboutthe axis ofthe bin to bring the bin contents to the central outlet. Other priorpatents of general interest are the following U.S. Pats.: Laidig, No.25,863; Hein, No. 2,914,198, Robinson, No. 1,482,524; Schaefer, No.3,084,814; Martin, No. 2,551,217; Glenn, No. 3,233,755; Greaves, No.2,763,362; and Stone, No. 3,351,395.

The Laidig U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,235 apparently is closer to the presentinvention than the other patents.

PURPOSE OF THIS INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is toprovide an apparatus for unloading loose granular material from a largecircular bin through a central outlet in the bin which apparatus uses aplurality of separable auger units arranged end to end radially outwardfrom the bin. center axis with power means at the bin center to drivethe augers, and individual drives on each auger unit for advancing themaround the bin, the whole apparatus being capable of being submerged inthe loose granular material andleft there from the time of filling thebin until the bin contents are to be removed.

It is a more specific purpose of this invention to provide the apparatuswith access front doors to theaugers individually removable as the augerremoves the material over the auger closest to the bin center thuspreventing initial overloading of the auger.

It is a further purpose of the invention to provide an unloadingapparatus having end toend separable auger units each with its ownadvancing mechanism operable upon any part of the bin floor that isreasonably smooth from the outer wall of the bin to the central outlet.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION A preferred form of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the apparatus showing a portion of thebinfloor,'a portion of the upright wall of the bin, and the centraloutlet through which the bin contents are removed downwardly;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of that portion of the apparatus which includesthe power unit for operating the auger and the pump and part of thefirst auger unit;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of the outer end of the second auger unitand showing the drive mechanism by which it is caused to move around thebin;

first auger unit taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 10;

FIG. I0 is a side view of a partof the first auger unit with a part ofthe auger casing broken away;

FIG. "is a sectional view on the line 11-11 of FIG.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged plane view of the auger unit showing theseparable connection of the inner half of the unit with the outer halfthereof;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view on the line l3--l3of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view on the line 14--l4 of FIG. 13.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and to FIGS.

1, 2 and 3 in particular, the apparatus is shown in conneetion with agrain storage bin 1 having a circular side wall2 and a floor 3. Thefloor 3 needs to be smooth and devoid of projections so that the grainstored in the bin can be cleaned out most easily. At the center of thefloor 3 there is an outlet sump 4 extending downward through which thegrain is removed. Any conventional conveyor can be used to carry awaythe grain moving down through the outlet sump 4.

Within the outlet sump 4, a framework 5 is provided to support a bearingassembly 6 for the pivot pin 7. This pivot pin 7 mounts a housing andsupport 8 for the delivery end of an auger unit 9 so that they mayrotate about the center of the bin 1.

The housing 8 supports a drive motor I I. A pulley 12 (FIG. 6) on themotor shaft [3 drives a belt 14 to a pulley 15011 the shaft 16a of areducing gear assembly I6 in the housing 8 which drives a shaft 17 foran auger 18 in the auger unit 9. Another pulley 19 on the motor shaftl3drives a belt 20 that drives a pulley 21 which is fixed on a pumpshaft22. The shaft 22 drives a pump 23 to provide hydraulic fluid underpressure from a tank 24 for use in causing the auger unit 9 to travelaround the bin. A cover 8a encloses the belts and pulleys.

The mechanism for causing the auger unit 9 to travel around the bin isbest shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8. This means embodies a framework 26 thatcarries the outer end25 of the casing 9a of the auger unit 9. At one endthe framework 26 is supported by a rubber tired drive wheel 27. At theother end the framework 26 is supported for limited vertical adjustmentby a thin, material dividing wheel 28. The drive wheel is operated by achain drive utilizing a sprocket wheel 29 on a wheel axle 30 that isjournalled in bearings 31 and 32. The bearings carry the rear end of theframework 26. The sprocket wheel 29 is driven by a roller chain 33,which in turn, is driven by a sprocket wheel 34 on the output shaft 35of a reduction gear unit 36. The input shaft 37 of the gear unit 36 iscoupled by a clutch 38 to a hydraulic motor 40 carried by abracket 39 onthe framework 26. The material dividing wheel 28 is mounted to theframework 26 by an axle 41 which is journalled in bearings 42 and 53 ina pair of arms 44 and 45 that are pivoted by a shaft 46 in the framework26. These arms can be adjusted up and down about the shaft 46 by a screw47 threaded into a block 48 in the adjacent end of the framework 26 andbearing on a cross bar 49 connecting arms 44 and 45. The screw 47 has ahandle 50. The sprockets and chain are covered by a housing 51. AV-shaped blade 26a is suspended from the frame 26 in front of the wheel27 to clear the wheel path.

Hydraulic fluid is directed to the hydraulic motor 40 from the pump 23via a pipe 52 mounted on the casing 9a of the unit 9. Fluid is returnedfrom the hydraulic motor 40 to the tank 24 via a pipe 53 also mounted onthe casing 9a. The pump 23 receives fluid from the tank 24 through apipe 54. Valved branch pipes 52b and 53!) lead to the motor 40 from thepipes 52 and 53.

To control the fluid supply to the motor 40 an overflow valve 55 isprovided in a by-pass pipe 56 that leads from the pipe 52 to an inlet 57to the tank 24. The return pipe 53 has speed control valve 58 therein,which, by regulating the amount of fluid returned from the motor 40 tothe tank inlet, controls the speed of the motor 40.

The casing 90 is made up of a plurality of flanged sections, the flangesof which are identified as 9f. An end cap 60 closes the end of the augercasing at the end next to the wall 2 of the bin. Near the wall 2 thereis a second drive mechanism similar in all respects to the drivemechanism already described. It has a framework 62 which is carried by adrive wheel 63 and a material dividing wheel 64. A second hydraulicmotor 65 supplies power to drive the wheel 63. The wheel 64 can be movedup and down relative to the framework 62 by means of a hand operatedscrew 66. The connecting means between the motor 65 and the drive wheel63 are identical to those employed in connecting the hydraulic motor 50to the drive wheel 27. The pipes 52 and 53 have connections to likepipes 52a and 53a that extend on to the motor 65 so that both motors 50and 65 can receive fluid from pipe 52 and return the used fluid throughthe pipe 53. As will be described later herein, the sections of theauger unit 9 outward from the section having the drive mechanism frame26 thereon can be disconnected from the sections inward of this frame.The pipes 52 and 53 have known quick disconnect valved couplings 67 and68 to the pipes 52a and 53a which seal themselves when separated thereinat the point of disconnection of the outer casing sections 90 of augerunit 9 from the inner sections 9a (see FIG. 12). Valves 67a and 68a, 67band 68b are indicated in FIG. 12 as providing this capability.

The auger 18 of the unit 9 extends out to the disconnect point referredto above. It is made up of sections each of which has a hollow shaft 17supported at both ends by hanger bearings 70 that are suspended bybrackets 71 (see H6. 11). The brackets 71 are carried by hollow stems 72that are threaded to receive the brackets 71. The stems 72 are mountedto the casing 9a by an inner plate 73 to which the stem 72 is welded andan outer plate 74. These plates are bolted together as shown. Alubricating fixture 75 extends through the plates 73 and 74 and into thehollow stem 72 to supply lubricant to the bearing 70.

Another auger 76 is provided in the sections of the casing 90 outwardfrom the section joint just outward of the first drive mechanism. Thisauger 76 is supported by hanger bearings 78 which are like the bearings70.

' Means are provided to connect the shaft 77 of the auger 76 to theshaft 17 of the auger 18. Both shafts 17 and 77 are tubular. Couplingheads 78 and 79 are used to connect the two shafts 17 and 77. Theseheads are provided with apertures to receive connecting bolts 80. Byremoving these connecting bolts 80 the two shafts can be freed of eachother.

The sections 9a of the casing that meet at the junction of the shafts 17and 77 are provided with stiffening braces 81 and 82 to strengthen thispoint in the casing 9a in a horizontal direction. The braces 81 and 82are separably connected by bolts 83 so that they may be disconnected forthe purpose of causing the inner part of the auger unit to empty thecentral part of the bin while the outer part of the auger unit remainscovered with the granular material. When the outer part of the augerunit is then connected up to be driven it is evident that the forwardthrust on the unit against the loose material would be at the couplingpoint where the braces 81 and 82 are provided. Additional braces such asthese may, of course, be provided at any of the coupling points in theauger unit 9 where the casing 90 is shown with flanges 9f. The auger l8and the auger 76 are preferably made in sections terminating at theflanges 9fand the hanger bearings 70 with brackets 71, stems 72 andplates 73-74 shown in FIG. 11 are provided to support the augers wherethe sections meet. Thus, each of the auger casings 9a and each of theaugers l8 and 76 can be made up of sections of the desired length to fitthe dimensions of the bins in which they are to be used. Wherever twosections of augers meet, except at the junction where the separablecoupling heads 78 and 79 are used, a single length of shaft 84 is usedto connect the two adjacent ends of the ho]- low auger shafts such as 17and 77. This single length of shaft is pinned in the two adjacent augershafts in the same manner that the shafts of the coupler heads 78 and 79are pinned. The pinning is illustrated in FIG. 14.

The several casing sections 9a are provided with side doors on theiradvancing faces through which the bin contents may enter to the augers.Elongated apertures 85 are cut in the casing section 9a and the piece 86cut out of the aperture is used as a closure when the side door is to beblocked. Each piece 86 is provided with two lower stop members 87 and 88which are positioned to engage the outer surface of the section 9a justbelow the aperture 85. Each piece 86 has a pair of top hooks 89 and 90.,which engage over an upstanding rib 91 that extends the entire length ofeach casing section 90. A handle 92 is provided on each piece 86.

in the operation of my invention the entire unloader is set up completein the bin 1 before the filling begins. It is made strong enough towithstand being covered by the granular material as the bin is filled.The side door pieces are put in place so that the whole unloader isburied as the bin is filled. When the bin is to be emptied the grain inthe outlet sump 4 is moved out until the drive motor 11, the pumpequipment, and their controls are exposed. The motor is then started soas to operate the auger 18. The side door 86 closes to the sump 4 isopened first and when the grain adjacent to it is removed by the auger18 the next door 86 is removed and then the next door until all of thedoors 86 out to the end of the auger 18 have been removed. The overflowvalve 55 is then closed and the speed control valve 58 is adjusted tocause the hydraulic motor 40 to turn the drive wheel 27 at the properspeed for keeping the auger 18 adequately filled with grain as the auger18 makes a complete revolution about the pivot pin 7.

The foregoing operation removes the central portion of the grain in thebin 1. This relieves the outward pressure on the bin to such an extentthat it is now possible to unload the balance of the bin by connectingthe auger '76 and the outer sections of the casing 9a to the auger l8and the inner sections of the casing 9a. Before the bin 1 was filled theauger 76 was disconnected from the auger 18 and the casing 9a and braces81 and 82 were unbolted at the junction of the augers to allow travel ofthe entire inner unit, consisting of the auger 18, the casing sections9a around it and the drive unit consisting of framework 26, hydraulicmotor 40 and wheels 27 and 28. The pipes 52 and 53 were also uncoupledat 67 and 68.

When coupling is made after using the inner auger 18 to unload thecentral portion of the bin 1 the side doors 86 of the sections of theinner casing 9a are replaced and with the overflow valve 55 open theaugers l8 and 76 are rotated to remove the overburden from the outersections of the casing 9a. The side doors 86 are removed as theoverburden is removed until the outer sections and the outer wheeledsupport are uncovered. The pipes 52 and 53 are then connected and openedto the pipes 52a and 53a. Upon closing the overflow valve 55 fluid willbe fed to the outer hydraulic motor 65 to drive the wheel 63 and advancethe outer end of the casing 9a. The valves 52!; and 53b are adjusted tocontrol the flow to the motors 40 and 65 so that both drive wheels canbe used to advance the outer casing sections as the grain is removed bythe augers 76 and 18. The advance of the entire casing 9a is continueduntil all of the grain is removed from the bin 1.

it is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will beclear from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. A method for removing loose granular material from a storage bin ofthe type having an unobstructed circular storage floor bounded byupright peripheral walls and having a central material-receiving sumprecessed within the floor, wherein the entire floor area is covered byloose granular material extending upwardly along the walls, comprisingthe following steps:

first moving all granular material vertically above the sump byoperation of the material-receiving sump;

next removing all granular material within the boundaries of the walland located vertically above a first annular floor area centered aboutthe sump and extending radially outward intermediate the sump and wallsby clearing the first annular floor area of granular material anddirecting such material radially inward to the material-receiving sump,while not disturbing granular material on the remaining annular floorarea located radially outward of the first annular floor area; and

finally removing the granular material remaining vertically above theremaining annular floor area and extending to the walls by clearing theremaining annular floor area of granular material and directing suchmaterial radially inward to the materialreceiving sump.

2. A method as set out in claim 1 wherein granular material is firstremoved from above the first annular floor area along a radial lineextending outward from the center of the floor and is subsequentlyremoved annularly about the center of the floor in a circular path.

3. A method as set out in claim 2 wherein granular material is firstremoved from about the remaining annular floor area along a radial lineextending outward from the center of the floor and is subsequentlyremoved annularly about the center of the floor in a circular path.

4. A method as set out in claim 1 wherein granular material is firstremoved from above the remaining annular floor area along a radial lineextending outward from the center of the floor and is subsequentlyremoved annularly about the center of the floor in a circular path.

1. A method for removing loose granular material from a storage bin ofthe type having an unobstructed circular storage floor bounded byupright peripheral walls and having a central material-receiving sumprecessed within the floor, wherein the entire floor area is covered byloose granular material extending upwardly along the walls, comprisingthe following steps: first moving all granular material vertically abovethe sump by operation of the material-receiving sump; next removing allgranular material within the boundaries of the wall and locatedvertically above a first annular floor area centered about the sump andextending radially outward intermediate the sump and walls by clearingthe first annular floor area of granular material and directing suchmaterial radially inward to the material-receiving sump, while notdisturbing granular material on the remaining annular floor area locatedradially outward of the first annular floor area; and finally removingthe granular material remaining vertically above the remaining annularfloor area and extending to the walls by clearing the remaining annularfloor area of granular material and directing such material radiallyinward to the material-receiving sump.
 2. A method as set out in claim 1wherein granular material is first removed from above the first annularfloor area along a radial line extending outward from the center of thefloor and is subsequently removed annularly about the center of thefloor in a circular path.
 3. A method as set out in claim 2 whereingranular material is first removed from about the remaining annularfloor area along a radial line extending outward from the center of thefloor and is subsequently removed annularly about the center of thefloor in a circular path.
 4. A method as set out in claim 1 whereingranular material is first removed from above the remaining annularfloor area along a radial line extending outward from the center of thefloor and is subsequentLy removed annularly about the center of thefloor in a circular path.